Why did Panama send 97 US deportees to a migrant camp in the Darien province?

Panama is housing several deportees from various countries who were expelled from the United States. On Wednesday, authorities transferred about one-third of them to a temporary camp in the Darien province, according to security officials.

Darien has become a major transit route for migrants travelling from South America to the US border in recent years.

Migrants sent to Darien

The migrants sent to Darien had refused to return to their home countries voluntarily. They will remain in Panama until alternative destinations are arranged.

A Panamanian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed this information, stating they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter.

The US government deported a total of 299 migrants to Panama, including people from Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. These deportations occurred under President Donald Trump’s administration.

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Where are the migrants now?

In a statement issued later on Wednesday, Panama’s Security Ministry confirmed that 97 migrants had been sent to the camp, with eight more expected to arrive in the coming hours.

The ministry also reported that 13 migrants had already been voluntarily repatriated to their home countries.

The remaining migrants are under police supervision at a hotel in Panama City while awaiting further travel arrangements. The Panamanian government has clarified that they are not being detained but are being closely monitored and cannot leave the hotel premises.

One migrant escapes

Panama’s National Immigration Service announced earlier on Wednesday that a Chinese woman had escaped from the hotel, but authorities later confirmed that she had been recaptured.

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Security Minister Frank Abrego stated on Tuesday that 171 of the migrants had agreed to return to their home countries. The remaining individuals will be sent to a temporary migration facility near the Darién Gap until their final destinations are determined.

FAQs

1. What is the Darien Gap?
The Darien Gap is a dense, forested area along Panama’s border with Colombia. It has long been used as a migration route for individuals from Venezuela and other countries travelling north towards the U.S.

2. Where is Panama City, and why is the US sending deportees to Panama?
Panama City, the capital of Panama, is situated in Central America at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The U.S. has been using Panama as a transit point for deportees due to difficulties in deporting individuals directly to certain countries.

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